Tactics from your own games

[newlook]

Let's have some fun! Post a tactic from one of your own games!

Here is an easy one to get you started. White to move. Black's last move is shown by the red-outlined squares (... Qf7-h5).

The whole game is below (in gray font). You can cut and paste into CT's PGN Viewer or most computer chess programs.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bd2 Bd6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O Re8 11. Re1 Bd7 12. Ne5 c6 13. c3 Qc7 14. h3 Nd5 15. Qh5 Bxe5 16. Rxe5 Nf6 17. Qf3 b6 18. g4 c5 19. g5 cxd4 20. cxd4 Bc6 21. Qg3 Nh5 22. Qh4 f6 23. gxf6 Nxf6 24. Bxh6 Qf7 25. Bg5 Qh5 26. Bxf6 1-0

[tama]

lol Bxf6.... You know something thanks to chesstempo i have a 6th scenes for tactics in my games, i can literally feel a tactic before it happens. Many times everything seems like a normal position, but out of know were i scence something......... and BAM! I see a strong move, calculate as fastas i can, sack a peace and mate in 9! lol happened many times... even when the sac is not accepted i still usually win a pawn because of it.

Thank you Richard!!!!!

[richard]

newlook: Do tactics I SHOULD have played count? I have plenty of those :-)

tama: Glad you're finding the site useful :-)

[newlook]

newlook: Do tactics I SHOULD have played count? I have plenty of those :-)

Sure.  Your opponent's tactics against you are also fair game. Of course, both of those aren't as fun as the tactics you play, but definitely educational.

[buddywinston]

One of the interesting things about studying tactics is finding the concept the  tactic is built on. Here, the bishop and queen support each other and the bishop can move backward to take the queen so, in fact, there is no time to take the bishop since the queen is  hanging.  It's a kind of  illusion that many people may miss over the board (including me.)

[newlook]

White to move.



.  {Spoilers below}
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An alternative move is Qf1, so if you came up with that, go back and look for another move.

After my move, Black didn't realize I had seen and addressed his threat (with Bd6). He went on with his plan ... Bh1. You can guess what I did after that.

Go here to see the whole game. I am Pegrin on Chess.com.

[drahacikfm]

I'm guessing you played 1.Bd6, and he blundered horribly with 1...Bh1?? 2.d5 winning the Bh1.   But of course he doesn't have to play 1...Bh1.  He can play 1...Bd5 and it's very hard for White to do anything with his extra two pawns, although it must be winning in the long run.  I don't see any tactics after 1...Bd5.  White probably has to come up with some strategic plan such as h4 and h5 to attack the Black king.  Also, 1...Qd5 seems like it's still a lot of work for White to make progress.  Those extra pawns are completely blockaded.

By the way, Bh1 is not really a threat, because White can play lots of different moves, and then after Bh1 he can play Qf1 or f4, covering g2.

[newlook]

It's definitely Black's error that makes the tactic (d5) possible. (Isn't that often true?) I did deviate from tactics puzzle convention by giving one (positional?) move before the tactic.  Blocking the Black rook's reach to d5 was a necessary setup for the tactic to exist, if Black did indeed forge ahead blindly with Bh1. If Black hadn't done it, Bd6 is still a good move.

[tama]

New look there is no tactics in the second game because if bout sides play accurately you wont win any extra material, also tactics are never wishing for your opponent to make a blunder, that's not tactics that's dreaming.

[drahacikfm]

tama, 1.Bd6 is a good move anyway, because it almost forces Black to put something on d5, to stop White from playing d5.  So it's not a "dreaming" move.  But I agree the starting position isn't a tactical problem.  The position after 1.Bd6 Bh1 is a tactical problem, where 2.d5 wins.

[newlook]

White to move.



Other people must be playing games and finding tactics. Let's see them!

[drahacikfm]

I see two different moves that win the game.  One is simple and wins a piece, and one has a deeper idea that is nice and wins at least a queen for a rook.

[drahacikfm]

Ok, now I see a third move that wins at least a piece.  So there are at least 3 moves on move 1 that win.

[argentum]

Hi,

This is not from my game but it is interesting position.



The key move which wins quickest is from a real game played around 1960's or 1970's. I have been trying to find that game but I can't find it. I have forgotten who played the move but it was some big name grandmaster.

The whole situation is not correct from the real game (as I don't remember which game) but I construed the key parts of white king side. The mate is possible because of black queen, bishop on that diagonal and knights. White queenside is irrelevant (in the real game there were some pieces but I don't remember exactly where).

Do you remember this game? It might have won brilliancy prize...

[newlook]

I see two different moves that win the game.  One is simple and wins a piece, and one has a deeper idea that is nice and wins at least a queen for a rook.

Ok, now I see a third move that wins at least a piece.  So there are at least 3 moves on move 1 that win.

I made the simple move (1. Qh5+ Qh6 2. Qxc5). What are the other two winners?